Manned disc-shaped flying craft



. Filed Feb; 5, 1968 Nav s, 1 10 MODES 7 69- MANNED DISC-SHAPED FLYING CRAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvzzmox f maolm BY I ATTURNEYES Nov. 3, 1970 N, -n 3,537,669

MANNED DISC-SHAPED" FLYING CRAFT Filed Feb. 5, 1968 28heets-Sheet' z TTORNE 5 "UnitedStates Patent Int. Cl. B64c 29/04 US. Cl. 244-23 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An experimental and disc shaped flying craft or spacecraft so constructed that the bottom half of the flying craftis raised or deflected to a higher level from its normal horizontal position, that is, at a right angle to its axis of rotation, with an effect on the gravity pull. The flying craft has means for obtaining a cancelling effect or action on the gravity pull, by the use of centrifugal force, with a loss in weight of the disc shoped flying craft. The bottom surface of the disc shaped flying craft is conical in shape and its top surface is convex in shape. The craft is provided with radially extending tubular arms, each of which contains a supply of mercury which under centrifugal pull slides at an upward angle to the other edge of the disc shaped flying craft thereby adding mass and weight to the deflected centrifugal pull thus increasing the power of the pull.

This invention relates to experimental and disc-shaped flying aircraft, or spacecraft and involves improvements over the flying craft described in my prior Pat. No. 3,199,809.

The present invention is directed at improvements in the structure of the bottom half of the experimental disc, whereby the centrifugal-pull is raised or deflected to a higher level from its horizontal position, that is, at a right angle to its axis of rotation, with an effect on the gravity pull.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to obtain a cancelling effect or action on the gravity pull, by the use of a centrifugal force, with a loss in weight of the disc.

A second object of the invention is to provide a discshaped flyingcraft of this type wherein the bottom half of the disc is.conical and the top half is convex.

A third object of the invention is to provide a flying craft of this type having radially extending arms or beams which with the outer surface and structure of the bottom section of the disc form a conical shape.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide an experimental flying craft of this type with radially extending arms or beams, which contain a supply of liquid which under centrifugal pull slides at an upward angle to the outer edge of the disc thereby adding mass and weight to the deflected centrifugal pull thus increasing the power of the pull.

A fifth object of the invention is to provide a discshaped flyingcraft of this type with a launching platform or stand on which all necessary testing and experimenting will be conducted, prior to eventual lift off.

A sixth object of the invention is to provide an experimental craft of this type in which not all of the craft is subject to the deflected pull and wherein the weight of the liquid will compensate for the part of the disc not undergoing the deflected pull.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the flying craft shown supported on a testing stand including launching 3,537,669 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 pole and associated gauges to measure weight, height, lift off andspinning speed, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the flying craft in flight, the testing stand being removed, the underside of the conical shape of the bottom half of the disc being visible.

'FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the experimental flying craft, parts being shown broken away to show internal construction of the disc.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the experimental disc-shaped flying craft showing the interior construction.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the inside construction of the bottom portion of the disc.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the disc-shaped flying craft parts being shown broken away to show the arrangement and shape of the fuel tanks.

Refering first to FIG. 1, there is shown an experimental disc-shaped flying craft or spacecraft designated generally at 10. The flying craft is shown supported on a testing stand 200 for test purposes, with the testing stand mounted on a concrete base 210.

The flying craft 10 comprises generally a central sleeve 300 lying in the center of a disc shaped wing or foil 240 of airfoil cross section that extends outwardly from the central sleeve or internal radially extending ribs 302 providing thereby the outer surface of the foil 240'. Between the ribs there ars six compartments, 0.1, 0.2, c.3, c.4, 0.5, and 0.6 for housing bulk liquid fuel and oxygen gas tanks.

The disc shaped wing 240 is conical at its bottom surface and convex at its top surface.

The central sleeve 300 receives a launching pole 202 on which the flying craft spins to assist its takeoff. This launching pole is embedded in the testing stand 200. The disc-shaped wing 240 rests on a pair of superposed round plates 216, 216, the plates being separated by an oil pressure film. This permits the top plate 216 which contacts the disc-shaped wing to rotate freely without any friction as well as permits the disc-shaped wing to rotate without friction, when it rotates. The bottom plate 216 remains stationary and is supported on the top of a plurality of compressed air pistons and cylinders 151, constituting a compression system. This compression system also acts or functions as a weighing scale for the disc-shaped wing.

Suspended from the conical underside of the circular fail 240 at diametrically opposite sides thereof, to effect the spinning of the flying craft on the launching pole 202 and in flight, are horizontally extending liquid fuel and oxygen supplied jet rocket motors and 152, and vertically extending jet rocket motors 147 and 148, that lie parallel to each other equally radially spaced from the center of the craft and which extend tangentially to effect a spinning force about the center of the flying craft to create a gyroscopic effect so as to keep the craft in balance.

These jet rocket motors 147 and 148 and 150 and 152 are supplied with liquid fuel and oxygen from any of the fuel and oxygen tanks in the compartments.

After the flying craft has built up rotational speed on the launching pole 202 and at the end of the final testing operation, the diametrically opposite vertical thrustjet rocket motors 147 and 148 are opened up and will immediately carry the flying craft into the air. The fuel and oxygen supply to these vertical motors can be derived from any of the fuel and oxygen tanks in the compartment through any of the piping and by the operation of selected valves forming a part of the system. Such valves and controls therefore may be of any desired conventional type, such for example, as described in US. Pat. 2,939,648.

The guidance control equipment may then be operated to turn off the horizontal motors 150 and 152 and the upward thrust of the flying craft can be maintained in its upward flight by the vertical thrust rocket motors 147 and 148. The vertical and horizontal rocket motors 147 and 148 and 150 and 152 respectively, thus can be started and stopped as desired by the control equipment.

The flying craft can be steered and navigated from the starting and stopping of one or both of the vertical motors to tilt the disc shaped wing as desired from the ground.

The craft will have a large supply of fuel and will be permitted to maneuver freely under instrument control according to the pattern of the guidance control equipment and from the instruments upon the ground. With all of the rocket motors turned off, the craft can drift toward the ground and be returned to land again, by the spinning motors 150 and 152.

A dial 208 is provided on the testing stand to indicate the weight of the flying craft. A tachometer 217 is also provided on the testing stand for checking the rotational arm.

In accordance with the invention, a plurality of spaced tubular arms 238 radiate outwardly from the sleeve 300 along the bottom of the disc shaped wing 240. Each arm 238 is provided with a charge or supply of mercury 239 adapted to be moved from the inner ends of the arms to the outer ends thereof. The mercury is supplied through the ends of the arms which are stopped by removable plugs 248. Each tubular arm has an equal quantity of mercury. These mercury charges under centrifugal pull will slide along the arms 238 at an upward angle to the outer edge of the disc shaped wing thereby adding mass and weight to the deflected centrifugal pull and thus increase the power of the pull.

The invention contemplates a turbo pump feed system and a centrifugal feed system. For this purpose, an oxidizer pump 244 provided in each compartment, a turbine 243 and a gas generator combustion chamber 242 with two valves.

In FIGS. 3 and 5, the interior of compartment 0.1 is shown having a total of seven gas tanks. The other compartment 0.1 to 0.5 inclusive are similarly constructed and equipped with tanks. There is a gas tank 143 in each compartment. In the flying craft 10 there are six tanks 143, three being oxidizer tanks and three being fuel tanks; there are twenty-four tanks 145, twelve being oxidizer tanks and twelve being fuel tanks; and there are twelve high pressure tanks 241.

Tank 143 best shown in FIG. 5 is a fuel tank in compartments 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5, and is an oxidizer tank in compartments 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6.

With particular reference to FIG. 5, in compartment 0.1 two high pressure tanks 241 are provided. Also means for transferring a propellent and an oxidizer to rocket motor fuel tanks 143 and oxidizer tanks 145 is shown displaced by high pressure gas which is fed into the tanks under regulated pressure by means of a regulator 245 and starting valve 246.

The tanks 143 being closer to the center of the disc shaped wing 240 than to the motors, the fuel undergoes a centrifugal pull and an additional feed combined with the gas pressure feed system.

The tanks 143 are also under gas pressure feed. Aided by the centrifugal pull, the fuel is forced directly to the pumps and motors which are located closer to the center of the disc shaped wing. It is evident that the flying craft has an ample gas pressure feed system.

Tanks 145 best shown in FIG. 5 are four in number in each compartment; and in compartments 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 they are fuel tanks; and in compartments 0-1, 0-3 and 0.5 they are oxidizer tanks.

Still referring to FIG. 5, a circular fuel-feed line 249 passes in a circle through all six compartments. Line 249 is connected to and carries fuel from tanks 143 in com- 4 partments 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 and not shown and slightly located below line 249 is a double circular oxidizer feed line 250. Line 250 is similar to line 249 except that it will be connected to oxidizer tanks 143 in compartments 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 (see FIG. 4).

Still referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that farther out on the periphery of the disc shaped wing 240, tanks 145 also have double circular feed lines 251 and 252. Oxidizer line 251 is connected to oxidizer tanks 145 in compartments 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5, and fuel feed line 252 is connected to carry fuel from fuel tanks 145 located in compartments 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6. This manner of loading and filling the tanks keeps the disc in balance.

It will be understood that to fill the tanks if desired, an oxidizer could be positioned only in one compartment and a fuel tank only in the next adjacent compartment. If desired the number of tanks could be changed and the number of compartments changed.

The vertical oriented rocket motors 147 and 148 are larger and much more powerful than the horizontal spinning rockets 150 and 152 because the thrust required to spin the disc will be relatively small. Therefore two small rocket motors will spin a large size disc at any required angle and speed.

With further reference to FIG. 5, a centrifugal switch 225 is shown and the action and purpose of this switch are comparable to a safety valve on a boiler. This switch will keep the disc spinning with a certain constant speed range by turning motors 150 and 152 on and off. When the disc shaped body reaches a predetermined fast speed or r.p.m. the switch will automatically shut off the motors; and the motors will be reactivated again when the discshaped body 240 slows down to a determined number of r.p.m.

Batteries 253 are used in energizing the centrifugal switch 225 and in operating the solenoid valves. Plugs 254 are used in filling the fuel and oxidizer tanks.

What is claimed is:

1. A flying craft comprising a central body and a rotatable circular disc like airfoil shaped wing journalled on the central body, horizontally extending rocket motors respectively carried by the respective opposite sides of the circular foil and extending sub-tangentially thereto and serving to spin the circular wing upon the central body to provide gyroscopic action upon the flying craft, vertically extending rocket motors respectively disposed on respective opposite sides of the circular wing to discharge gases downwardly to provide the lift for the flying craft upon the gyroscopic section having been effected, means for supplying combustion fuel and gas to said rocket motors, and means for adding mass and weight to the centrifugal pull of the craft thereby increasing the power of the centrifugal pull, the means for adding mass and weight including tubular arms radiating from the central body at an angle to the horizontal, and a charge of mercury in each of said tubular arms, said charge of mercury adapted to move from the inner end of the tubular arm to the outer end thereof under centrifugal pull at an upward angle.

2. A flying craft as defined in claim 1 wherein the circular disc like airfoil shaped wing is conical on the bottom surface thereof.

3. A flying craft as defined in claim 1 wherein the circular disc like airfoil shaped wing is convey shaped on the top thereof.

4. A flying craft as defined in claim 1 wherein the circular disc like airfoil shaped wing is conical on the bottom thereof and convex shaped on the top thereof.

5. A flying craft as defined in claim 1 wherein the wing is divided into spaced compartments and wherein the means for supplying combustion fuel and gas to the rocket motors includes six inner tanks, consisting of three oxidizer tanks and three fuel tanks; and twenty-four outer tanks consisting of twelve oxidizer tanks and twelve fuel tanks, piping connections between the tanks and rocket motors and control valves in the piping, said inner tanks being disposed inwardly of the rocket motors whereby the fuel is subjected to a centrifugal pull.

6. A flying craft as defined in claim 5 wherein said tanks provided with inlets and outlets at the ends thereof.

7. A flying craft as defined in claim 1 wherein the hori- Zontal, rocket motors are disposed in a line with each other, the vertically disposed rocket motors are disposed in a line with each other, said latter line intersecting said first named line, said rocket motors being equally spaced from the center of the wing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,428 9/1957 Wibault 244-23 2,939,648 6/ 1960 'Fleissner 244-12 3,199,809 8/1965 Modesti 2441'2 3,355,124 11/1967 Kelsey 244-23 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner T. W. BUCKMAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.'R. 244-93 

